The DESA award consists of a gold eagle suspended from a red, white, and blue ribbon worn around the neck. No. 00330. The knot is the Eagle Scout knot (No. 05011) worn with the DESA miniature pin, No. 00094. The eagle uses the same design as on the Eagle Scout medal. The Distinguished Eagle Scout medal is worn in place of the regular Eagle Scout medal for Eagle Scout-related ceremonies. The recipient is also presented with an engraved bronze plaque and may also be made a member of the Board of Regents of the National Eagle Scout Association.

The DESA award consists of a gold eagle suspended from a red, white, and blue ribbon worn around the neck. No. 00330. The knot is the Eagle Scout knot (No. 05011) worn with the DESA miniature pin, No. 00094. The eagle uses the same design as on the Eagle Scout medal. The Distinguished Eagle Scout medal is worn in place of the regular Eagle Scout medal for Eagle Scout-related ceremonies. The recipient is also presented with an engraved bronze plaque and may also be made a member of the Board of Regents of the National Eagle Scout Association.

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The award is granted by the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) upon nomination by a local council and selection by a committee of nationally prominent DESA recipients.

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The award is granted by the [[National Eagle Scout Association]] (NESA) upon nomination by a local council and selection by a committee of nationally prominent DESA recipients.

Current revision

The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA) is the only distinguished service recognition that depends on one's association with Scouting as a youth. The recipient must have attained the Eagle Scout rank a minimum of 25 years before his nomination, and over those years he must have rendered outstanding service to others. The recipient must also have gained status of fame or eminence in their life work, and have shared their talents with their communities on a voluntary basis.

Contents

Award

The DESA award consists of a gold eagle suspended from a red, white, and blue ribbon worn around the neck. No. 00330. The knot is the Eagle Scout knot (No. 05011) worn with the DESA miniature pin, No. 00094. The eagle uses the same design as on the Eagle Scout medal. The Distinguished Eagle Scout medal is worn in place of the regular Eagle Scout medal for Eagle Scout-related ceremonies. The recipient is also presented with an engraved bronze plaque and may also be made a member of the Board of Regents of the National Eagle Scout Association.

The award is granted by the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) upon nomination by a local council and selection by a committee of nationally prominent DESA recipients.

History

The DESA was first introduced in 1969 and awarded by the National Eagle Scout Association. Prior to the establishment of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, the only "gold Eagle Scout badge" was awarded to Dan Beard at the Second National Training Conference of Scout Executives held in 1922 in Blue Ridge, North Carolina.

As of the end of 2005, 1,835,410 Scouts had earned the rank of Eagle. Since its introduction in 1969, the DESA has only been awarded to just under 2000 of those Scouts. Thus, only about 1 of every 1000 Eagle Scouts has received the award.

Recipients

Distinguished Eagle Scout Award recipients have included:

Gerald R. Ford - 38th President

Neil Armstrong - astronaut and first man on the moon

Steven Spielberg - Academy Award-winning film director

Steve Fosset - billionaire and aviation pioneer

Sam Walton - founder of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club the largest single employer in the world

Samuel K. Skinner - served as Secretary of Transportation and White House Chief of Staff

Distinguished Service Awards

The Boy Scouts of America recognizes the need to acknowledge the invaluable services that men and women render to youth. Of the millions of registered adult volunteers in Scouting, only a select few are presented distinguished service awards at these level: